Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An apparatus, comprising: a telephone adapter having a unique identifier, the telephone adapter comprising a processor, wherein the unique identifier is an internet protocol address, wherein the telephone adapter is for coupling to an analog telephone and for converting an analog signal to a digital signal; and a receiver for receiving data associated with a current geographic position of the telephone adapter, wherein the data associated with the current geographic position is received from a global positioning system, wherein the processor commands a signal to be transmitted in a session initiation protocol message that includes the current geographic position comprising a latitude and a longitude associated with the current geographic position of the telephone adapter from the telephone adapter to a gateway of a network each time a call is initiated, wherein the signal includes the unique identifier, irrespective of whether the call is a placed call or a received call, wherein the geographic position of the telephone adapter is recorded at an internet protocol network in an internet protocol call detail record and at a terminating public switched telephone network in an automatic message accounting record, wherein the internet protocol call detail record and the automatic message accounting record are used by a billing system to determine a rate center where the telephone adapter is located.
An apparatus is a telephone adapter for connecting an analog phone to a VoIP network. It has a unique IP address identifier. It converts analog signals to digital and includes a GPS receiver to determine its geographic position (latitude and longitude). When a call is initiated (placed or received), the adapter transmits a SIP message to a network gateway. The message includes the IP address and GPS coordinates. This location information is recorded in IP call detail records on the IP network and in automatic message accounting records at the PSTN. A billing system uses these records to determine the phone adapter's rate center for billing purposes.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is a wide area augmentation system digital global positioning system.
The telephone adapter, as described in the previous claim, uses a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) digital GPS receiver to determine its geographic position. This WAAS-enabled GPS provides more accurate location data.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gateway comprises an internet protocol gateway of the network.
The telephone adapter, as described in the initial apparatus description, transmits its location information to an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway within the network. This gateway serves as the entry point for the VoIP call and handles routing and processing of the location data.
4. A method, comprising: determining, via a receiver, a current position of a telephone adapter having a processor, the telephone adapter being associated with a unique identifier, wherein the telephone adapter is for coupling to an analog telephone and for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, wherein the determining the current position includes determining a latitude and a longitude of the telephone adapter using the receiver, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system receiver; and transmitting via the processor a signal in a session initiation protocol message that includes the current position of the telephone adapter from the telephone adapter to a gateway of a network each time a call is initiated via the telephone adapter, wherein the signal includes the unique identifier, irrespective of whether the call is a placed call or a received call, wherein the current position of the telephone adapter is recorded at an internet protocol network in an internet protocol call detail record and at a terminating public switched telephone network in an automatic message accounting record, wherein the internet protocol call detail record and the automatic message accounting record are used by a billing system to determine a rate center where the telephone adapter is located, wherein the transmitting the signal includes transmitting a latitude and a longitude associated with the current position of the telephone adapter.
A method involves determining the current geographic position (latitude and longitude) of a telephone adapter using a GPS receiver. The adapter connects an analog phone to a VoIP network and has a unique identifier. When a call is initiated (placed or received), the adapter transmits a SIP message containing its unique identifier and GPS coordinates to a network gateway. This location is recorded in IP call detail records on the IP network and automatic message accounting records at the PSTN. A billing system then uses this data to determine the rate center of the telephone adapter.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: transmitting the signal from the network to an internet protocol network.
The method of determining location and sending it within a VoIP call, as previously described, includes the further step of transmitting the location signal from the network gateway to an Internet Protocol (IP) network. This allows the location information to be used by other devices and services on the IP network.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the gateway comprises an internet protocol gateway of the network.
In the method of determining and sending the location of a VoIP telephone adapter, as previously described, the gateway to which the adapter transmits the location information is an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway of the network.
7. A method, comprising: determining, via a receiver, a current position of a telephone adapter comprising a processor, the telephone adapter being associated with a unique identifier, wherein the telephone adapter is for coupling to an analog telephone and for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, wherein the determining the current position includes determining a latitude and a longitude of the telephone adapter using the receiver, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system receiver; and transmitting via the processor a signal in a session initiation protocol message that includes the current position of the telephone adapter from the telephone adapter to a gateway of a network after a call is received by the telephone adapter, wherein the current position of the telephone adapter is recorded at an internet protocol network in an internet protocol call detail record and at a terminating public switched telephone network in an automatic message accounting record, wherein the internet protocol call detail record and the automatic message accounting record are used by a billing system to determine a rate center where the telephone adapter is located, wherein the transmitting the signal includes transmitting a latitude and a longitude associated with the current position of the telephone adapter.
A method involves using a GPS receiver to determine the current geographic position (latitude and longitude) of a VoIP telephone adapter. This adapter, used to connect an analog phone, has a unique identifier. After the telephone adapter receives a call, the adapter transmits a SIP message containing its GPS coordinates to a network gateway. The location is recorded in IP call detail records and automatic message accounting records, which a billing system uses to determine the rate center of the telephone adapter.
8. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing instructions to cause an apparatus comprising a receiver and a telephone adapter to perform operations, the operations comprising: determining via the receiver a current position of the telephone adapter having a processor, the telephone adapter being associated with a unique identifier, wherein the telephone adapter is for coupling to an analog telephone and for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, wherein the determining the current position includes determining a latitude and a longitude of the telephone adapter using the receiver, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system receiver; and transmitting via the processor a signal in a session initiation protocol message that includes the current position of the telephone adapter from the telephone adapter to a gateway of a network each time a call is initiated via the telephone adapter, wherein the signal includes the unique identifier, irrespective of whether the call is a placed call or a received call, wherein the current position of the telephone adapter is recorded at an internet protocol network in an internet protocol call detail record and at a terminating public switched telephone network in an automatic message accounting record, wherein the internet protocol call detail record and the automatic message accounting record are used by a billing system to determine a rate center where the telephone adapter is located, wherein the transmitting the signal includes transmitting a latitude and a longitude associated with the current position of the telephone adapter.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions to perform operations involving a VoIP telephone adapter. The adapter uses a GPS receiver to determine its current geographic position (latitude and longitude). The adapter connects an analog phone to a VoIP network and is associated with a unique identifier. When a call is initiated (placed or received), a SIP message is transmitted to a network gateway containing the adapter's unique identifier and GPS coordinates. This location is recorded in both IP call detail records and automatic message accounting records, used by a billing system to determine the adapter's rate center.
9. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 8 , the code further comprising code to: transmit the signal from the gateway to an internet protocol network.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium, as described in the previous claim about VoIP adapter location reporting, also includes instructions to transmit the location signal from the gateway to an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
10. A method, comprising: receiving a signal in a session initiation protocol message that includes geographic position data associated with a telephone adapter from the telephone adapter at an internet protocol gateway including a unique identifier associated with the telephone adapter each time a call is initiated via the telephone adapter, irrespective of whether the call is a placed call or a received call, wherein the telephone adapter is for coupling to an analog telephone and for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, wherein the geographic position data comprises a latitude and a longitude associated with the current position of the telephone adapter and is recorded at an internet protocol network in an internet protocol call detail record and at a terminating public switched telephone network in an automatic message accounting record, wherein the internet protocol call detail record and the automatic message accounting record are used by a billing system to determine a rate center where the telephone adapter is located, wherein the geographic position data is from a global positioning system; and determining, via the internet protocol gateway, a geographic position of the telephone adapter based on the signal.
A method involves receiving a SIP message at an IP gateway from a telephone adapter each time a call is initiated (placed or received). The message includes geographic position data (latitude and longitude) obtained from GPS, along with a unique identifier for the adapter. The adapter is used to connect an analog phone to a VoIP network. This location data is recorded in both IP call detail records and automatic message accounting records, and a billing system uses these to determine the rate center of the adapter. The IP gateway determines the geographic position of the telephone adapter based on the received data.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: transmitting the signal from the internet protocol gateway to a device separate from the internet protocol gateway.
The method of receiving location data at an IP gateway, as previously described, further includes transmitting the signal containing the location data from the IP gateway to a device that is separate from the gateway itself.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the device is a network.
In the method where an IP gateway receives and retransmits location data from a VoIP adapter, the "device separate from the IP gateway" is a network. This allows the location information to be used across the network.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the device is a wireless device.
In the method where an IP gateway receives and retransmits location data from a VoIP adapter, the "device separate from the IP gateway" is a wireless device. This enables location-based services on mobile devices.
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October 28, 2014
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